Program Making College a Reality for Hispanic Students, With Help of USA Funds

For one week this summer, 108 Latino students from Indiana came together to participate in Project Stepping Stone, a one-week program that helps Hispanic high school students prepare for college and beyond.

The program introduces students to potential careers and the college planning process. The week also includes visits and overnight stays at local colleges and universities — including Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indiana State University, Ball State University and Marian University — and visits with financial aid professionals, university faculty and motivational speakers.

The National Society of Hispanic MBAs sponsors Project Stepping Stone. USA Funds® is among the program’s other supporters and provided a $50,000 grant.

One of the missions of NSHMBA is to increase the number of Hispanic students that attain a master’s of business administration degree. The group found that there was a high rate of high school dropouts among Hispanic students and a low number of Hispanic students attending college.

“If Hispanic students weren’t completing high school and weren’t attending college, there wouldn’t be MBAs,” says Andres Reina, vice president of NSHMBA’s Indianapolis chapter. “We realized we had to find something to do to decrease the dropout rate and increase college going rates among Hispanic students, and that is how the Project Stepping Stone program was started.”

Representatives from NSHMBA work with Indianapolis schools and counselors to encourage high-performing students to apply for the program. Students are selected based on essays, academic performance and recommendations. Selected students attend Project Stepping Stone free of charge.

Focus on college and beyond
The following are among the activities and topics that are the focus of Project Stepping Stone:

• Team building.
• Business, career and leadership workshops. 
• Dale Carnegie training. 
• Etiquette training. 
• Paying for college. 
• Writing scholarship essays.

The program requires all students to bring a résumé to Project Stepping Stone, with one night dedicated to refining that résumé. This year 96 local business representatives conducted mock job interviews with the students. Students wore business attire to the interviews, and then received feedback on their interviewing skills.

“The entire week is planned to help the students succeed not only in college, but beyond,” says Reina. “For some of these students, they never thought college was even an option for them, and we are working to show them that college can be a reality for them and we give them the skills to help make that a reality.”

The program also teaches the students that giving back and helping those less fortunate is an important part of being a well-rounded student. Students spend one day in local schools or organizations helping underprivileged students.

The week wraps up with a formal presentation in which students share with their parents what they have learned throughout the week. Additionally, this year five students from the program received $500 scholarships, and one student received a $1,000 scholarship.

By the end of the week, each student in the program has applied to four different colleges.

Following the conclusion of the week’s activities, a group of about 25 mentors works with students throughout the year, planning special activities and serving as a resource should the students have questions. This year seven past participants came back to Project Stepping Stone to serve as role models and ambassadors for current students.

“Our goal is to take these students for a week and give them the skills, tools and motivation to attend college,” says Reina.

“But we also understand it’s an ongoing process, so our mentors and student ambassadors play important roles to ensuring success.”